This invention relates to a pressure activated cleaner discharge device for toilets and the like, and more particularly, to such a device for adding a determined measured amount of liquid cleaner or other materials to each quantity of water during each toilet flush. The added quantity of liquid cleaner or other material is adaptable for cleaning or disinfecting or otherwise treating the particular water during and after flush, all in an efficient manner. Furthermore, the pressure activated cleaner discharge device has the distinct advantage of mixing the particular materials with the toilet bowl water directly within the toilet bowl and on an automatic basis, rather than requiring, as has been true in many prior applications, the mixture of a large and cumbersome amount of cleaner additive or other material to the entire toilet water tank.
Various types and sizes of chemical packages and chemical holding containers dealing with both solid and liquid forms thereof have heretofore been provided over the period of years. Furthermore, these prior chemicals have dealt primarily with the adding of the same to the relatively large toilet water tanks. These have not been totally satisfactory for many reasons, not the least of which is the having to deal with the relatively large toilet water tank when the chemicals are really required within the toilet bowl.
As an example, the cleaning chemicals have been provided in a water soluble, solid form. The solid form of chemical is suspended beneath the normal water level within the toilet water tank and the degree of solubility of the chemical is depended upon to dissolve the same and circulate it throughout the relatively large toilet water tank. Thus, when there is a water flush, the dissolved chemical is carried with the normal flushing water directly into the toilet bowl. In addition, since the chemical is circulated within the entire flushing water, a very large portion thereof is flushed directly through the toilet bowl and this is true of any chemical, a cleaner or otherwise, which is dissolved in the toilet water tank.
Another form of chemical emitting device which has previously been used makes use of a plastic container which holds an amount of chemical therein and has particular size openings to permit a certain amount of the chemical to be released from the plastic container during every circulation of water. The particular plastic container is fabricated for being positioned resting on the bottom wall of the toilet water tank, or suspended at an intermediate location on one of the side walls of the toilet water tank. More important, since these devices discharge a given quantity of the chemical every time the liquid in the toilet water tank is circulated, this means that the given quantity of chemical will be discharged during each flush as determined by this water movement. Various different forms of valves have been provided for the plastic container in order to assure the proper release of the chemical, but at best, these cannot be very accurate and, again, we are still dealing here with the relatively large quantity of water in the toilet water tank which must ultimately circulate into the toilet bowl rather than placing the chemical additive solely within the bowl where it is primarily needed.
In an effort to overcome this deficiency, various complicated valves and other mechanical mechanisms have been provided in combination with particular forms of devices which add the chemical additive for cleaning, disinfecting and deodorizing directly into the toilet bowl or directly into the charge of water for refilling the toilet bowl. This, of course, eliminates the objection to the relatively large toilet water tank and the attempt to add chemicals therein with only a portion having the opportunity to act against the contaminants within the toilet bowl. Probably the most severe fault of these various forms of prior valves and other mechanisms has been the complicated nature thereof and the expense required for providing the same. Furthermore, even where provided, these prior devices are not truly properly adjustable and require the constant care of a trained technician.